The Street Organ, No. 8 from Familiar Figures of London Series

The Street Organ, No. 8 from Familiar Figures of London Series

Barrel Organ
Street Musicians
Women Clothing and Dress in Victorian Period
Street Grinders
Street Dance
London, England
Victorian City Life
Picture postcards 1900-1909
Lithograph Postcard

1 postcard recto and verso.

Ladies dancing in the street to a Barrel Organ, London, England

Sauber, Robert (1868-1936)

Originally created in 1898 within the “Familiar Figures of London” series of 12 lithographs prints by Robert Sauber.

The Pictorial Stationery Co., Ltd

Published circa 1906-1909.

JPEG

en

Still image, picture postcard with divided back, 3.5 x 5.5 in

ff8_street_recto.jpg
ff8_street_verso.jpg

From the Peacock "pictorette" Post Card Series, Figure 8 shows two ladies dancing to a street grinder (performer) play his barrel organ. Victorian street music represented a "festive disruption" from middle class musical preferences, and was considered "provocative" (Picker 63). Street organs are mobile, allowing street grinders to move where they please.

Street performers were considered during this period disgraceful, and a representation of lower classes. The ladies dancing too, were considered to be of ill repute. Their dresses, and suggestiveness of showing their ankles visually demonstrates this.

For more examples of this series see: http://www.mystudios.com/artgallery/R/Robert-Sauber/The-Newsboy,-No.10-from-Familiar-Figures-of-London,-c.1901.html

and: http://www.lookandlearn.com/history-images/XD141009/The-Soldier?img=1&search=Robert+Sauber+%28after%29&bool=phrase

For more information on street grinders, and street culture see Victorian Soundscapes by John M. Picker published in 2003 by Oxford University Press.

Original Collection passed from Gertrude Kinnear to her sister Luree Jobe to her daughter Eleanor Jobe, who left it to her niece Elizabeth A. Mealy who left it to her granddaughter Caitlin Mealy.

For rights and permissions, please contact Caitlin Mealy, catydids515@gmail.com.

Printed in Bavaria.

Based in London

The Pictorial Stationery Co., Ltd.